The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded USD 104 million (EUR 99 million) across six Alaska coastal communities to improve the state’s ports and maritime infrastructure.
“Port improvements are necessary and vital if we are to improve and protect our state infrastructure,” U.S. Representative Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) said in a statement. “As critical infrastructure with a region-wide impact, this funding will create jobs and improve life in our coastal communities – especially for Alaskans living in Dillingham, Hoonah, and Saint Paul.”
The six grants were awarded via the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which provides discretionary, competitive grants to help improve the nation’s ports and related maritime infrastructure.
The Maritime Administration had USD 500 million (EUR 470 million) in total funding available to award through PIDP this year – USD 450 million from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and USD 50 million (EUR 47 million) from fiscal year 2024 congressional appropriations. Congress provided USD 2.3 billion (EUR 2.2 billion) in funding for PIDP to spend over a five-year period.
In a joint release, Alaska’s Congressional delegation welcomed the USD 104 million in spending.
“As I often say, Alaska is a resource-rich but infrastructure-poor state. With more coastline than the rest of the United States combined, maritime infrastructure is critical to our state,” U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said. “Due to Alaska’s geographic isolation, our residents have an increased reliance on port projects. These same projects are a challenge to fund as they often have higher costs to construct and serve smaller populations. That’s why I fought to change the law in the Port Infrastructure Development Program to ensure the cost-benefit analyses of these projects work for Alaska and port investments in our state."
The Maritime Administration awarded grants as follows:
- USD 11 million (EUR 10 million) to build a bridge and incorporate two five-ton electric cranes to service the commercial fishing fleet in Juneau;
- USD 11 million (EUR 10 million) to replace the boat harbor float system and utilities, extend the north bulkhead dock, and add a boat grid in Dillingham;
- USD 9 million (EUR 9 million) for an upgraded cargo dock in Hoonah;
- USD 11 million (EUR 10 million) to add berthing capacity for commercial fishing vessels in Kodiak;
- USDK 50 million (EUR 47 million) to build a general purpose cargo port at the Port of Alaska in Anchorage; and
- USD 11 million (10 million) to renovate the City South Dock in Sain Paul.
“The efficiency and capacity of our ports is integral to the prosperity of our coastal communities, as well as the state of Alaska as a whole,” U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). “With so many communities across the state inaccessible by road, ports are essential to our supply chain and distributing key resources that Alaskans need. I applaud the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration for their substantial investments in a diverse range of improvements to port infrastructure in six communities across the state.”
